Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge

Vol. 9 (3), July 2010, pp. 453-458

Characterization of the traditional fermented fish product Lona ilish of

Northeast India
RK Majumdar1* & S Basu2
1

College of Fisheries (Central Agricultural University), Lembucherra, Agartala, Tripura 799 210
Central Institute of Fisheries Education (Deemed University), Fisheries University Road, Versova, Mumbai 61
E-mail: majumdar_rk@yahoo.co.in

Received 29 February 2008; revised 9 April 2009

Lona ilish is a traditional salt fermented fish product widely consumed in Bangladesh and Northeast parts of India. It is
prepared exclusively from Hilsa, Tenualosa ilisha (Ham-Buch, 1822), a high fat fish. Biochemical composition of market
sample of lona ilish has been studied. The moisture, salt and pH of the product have been estimated as 54%, 15% and
5.66%, respectively. The product is stable when remains immersed in brine at ambient temperature. Lowering of water
activity due to osmotic action of salt as well as effect of salt on spoilage bacteria are presumed to be the reasons behind this
salt fermentation technique. High peroxide value is the indicative of lipid peroxidation but, however, did not impart any
undesirable rancid taint to the product. The bacterial flora comprised of Micrococcus and Bacillus species. Lack of scientific
study to standardize the methods, use of poor quality raw material fish, improper salting, inadequate fermentation period as
well as adulteration in the process, etc. are some of the reasons for gradual deterioration of the quality of lona ilish.
Keywords: Fish fermentation, Hilsa, Lona ilish, Fermented food, Traditional fish product
IPC Int. Cl.8: A61K36/00, A01G1/00, A01G17/00, A47G19/00, A23L1/00

Fermented fish products are important dietary

components in the protein deficient Far East
especially in Southeast Asia, the near East and in
Africa1. Preservation of fish by salt is an age old
technology. This method of preservation still enjoys
popularity in many developing countries owing to its
simplicity and low cost of processing. When fatty
fishes are salted, there is usually a certain degree of
fermentation involved2. Fermentation of fish is
brought about by autolytic enzymes from the fish and
microorganisms in the presence of high salt
concentrations3. Lona ilish is a salt fermented product
prepared from Indian shad (Tenualosa ilisha, HamBuch, 1822), a high-fat fish (fat content of adult hilsa
ranges from 14-25%)4. This fish is popularly known
as hilsa due to its earlier generic name Hilsa. Lona
ilish is a very popular product and is widely
consumed in Northeast India and Bangladesh mainly
due to its typical flavour, aroma and texture.
Unfortunately, this product has so far not found its
due place in the literature among the fermented fish
products of South East Asia mainly due to the lack of
_________
*Corresponding author

scientific work done on this product. The product is

sliced hilsa, about 1.50 to 2.00 cm in thickness. A
typical lona ilish has a uniform pink colour with a
glossy appearance immediately after taking the
product out of the brine. The texture remains firm and
the flesh does not easily separate from its bone. It has
a characteristic strong aroma mixed with some sweet,
fruity and acidic notes along with some saltiness. The
strong odour permeates the air during storage and
gives the area a characteristic smell of lona ilish. It is
kept immersed in saturated brine until consumption.
The technology of lona ilish actually originated in
Bangladesh about 100 yrs ago on the bank of river
Padma and Meghna under Noakhali district. It is
assumed that the technology evolved during the glut
period when there were no such preservation
techniques except sun drying and salting was
available. Sun drying was not suitable for hilsa like
high fatty fishes due to rapid development of rancidity
on being exposed to the sun. In addition, sun drying
was difficult during continuous spell of rain in JulyAugust that corresponds to the main glut period. This
way of processing might have been started to quickly
preserve large quantity of fish in an inexpensive way.

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INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 9, NO. 3, JULY 2010

The technology has not changed much since the

earlier days and the practice is still one of the major
means of preservation of hilsa by the fishermen
community of Bangladesh. Although different
technologies have come into being so far, no other
preservation techniques except salt drying and to
some extent canning are in use presently. The
technology got entry in to Northeast India through
migrants. The large scale production and consumption
of lona ilish is limited mostly in the Chandpur
subdivision in Noakhali district of Bangladesh and
Northeast India. One of the reasons of localized
consumption in India may be due to the practical
difficulties in its transport. However, there is a good
demand for the product in the fish eating communities
in other areas.
Lona ilish is traditionally prepared by dry salting
the diagonally cut hilsa chunks followed by
fermentation in saturated brine (previously boiled and
cooled) in metal container till appearance of the
characteristic flavour and texture (Figs 1-3). It is kept
immersed in the fermenting medium (saturated brine)
till consumption. The fermentation period is usually
4-6 months. The reports on biochemical composition
of hilsa are scanty. The fat content of hilsa of
different water bodies such as Mahanadi river
(19.28%), Saurastra coast (16.73%), Padma river
(14.40%), Brahmaputra river (7.17%) and Narmada
river (5.40%) was investigated5. The taste of the fish
seems to be largely dependent on the fat content. The
biochemical composition of the muscles of adult hilsa
from the Calcutta market contain moisture (78.38%),
dry matter (21.62%), protein (12.44%) and fat
(18.01%)6. Adult hilsa is a fatty species with fat
content varying from 11.8% (small fish) to 18.91%
(large fish)7. The traditional methods of preparation of
lona ilish and evaluation of some of its important
biochemical and microbiological quality have been
discussed (Fig. 4).

Fig. 1Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha)

Methodology
Biochemical analysis

Samples of lona ilish were collected from local fish

market at Agartala and brought to the laboratory for
biochemical analysis. Moisture, pH, ash, and salt
contents were measured8. Ten gm of samples were
homogenized with 10 ml of distilled water and the pH
of the homogenate was then measured. Total titratable
acidity (TTA) was measured8. The acidity was
calculated as per cent lactic acid. Differences in
weight were recorded after drying the sample in hot
air oven at 100 2C overnight to determine the
moisture content. Ashing was done by incineration in
a muffle furnace at 550 50C until the ash was

Fig. 4Preparation of Lona ilish by traditional method

Fig. 2Lona ilish

Fig. 3Traditional tin container

used for fermentation

MAJUMDAR & BASU: TRADITIONAL FERMENTED FISH PRODUCT OF NORTHEAST INDIA

obtained. The salt content was determined by titrating

excess silver nitrate with ammonium thiocyanate
using ferric alum as indicator8. Total nitrogen was
measured by using the micro-kjeldahl method8. Ten
per cent trichloroacetic acid (TCA) extract was used
to estimate non-protein nitrogen (NPN), total volatile
basic nitrogen (TVBN) and free -amino nitrogen
(FAN) by using micro-kjeldahl method, Conway's
micro-diffusion method and by copper method,
respectively8-10. Protein nitrogen was estimated by
subtracting non-protein nitrogen from the total
nitrogen. Total lipid was measured from dried sample
by soxhlet extraction with petroleum ether8. The
peroxide value (PV) and the content of free fatty acids
(FFA) were determined on the chloroform extracts of
tissues2,11.
Microbiological analysis

An amount of 10 gm of muscle from different

locations of a sample was aseptically collected and
macerated with 90 ml sterile saline (5% NaCl). After
making serial dilution in the same diluents, pour
plating was done using nutrient agar fortified with 5%
NaCl. Total viable count (expressed as log cfu) was
made after 96 hrs of incubation at 37C and was
expressed as log cfu (colony forming units). Bacterial
identification was made up to the generic level using
biochemical tests12,13.
Results and discussion
The proximate composition of lona ilish is given
(Table 1). The mean values (as % muscle) of
moisture, salt and ash were found as 54.35, 15.75 and
16.73, respectively. The process however, includes
diffusion of salt into the fish and elimination of water
Table 1Proximate composition of lona ilish (n=5)
Biohemical Parameters
Moisture (%)
Ash (%)
pH
Total titratable acidity (TTA))
Total nitrogen (%, muscle)
Protein nitrogen (%, muscle)
Non protein nitrogen (%, muscle))
Free -amino-nitrogen (mg %)
Lipid (%)
Total volatile basic nitrogen (mg %)
Salt (%)
Peroxide value (meq O2/Kg lipid)
Free fatty acid (% oleic acid)

Value (mean s.d.)

54.35 5.06
16.73 1.13
5.66 0.06
0.98 0.04
3.35 0.42
2.81 0.29
0.540 0.06
163.5 32.4
9.41 0.74
48.0 6.08
15.75 1.16
40.0 4.5
18.22 1.26

455

through the process of osmosis. Such transfer of

moisture from the fish due to osmosis resulted
decrease of moisture content with simultaneous
increase of ash and salt content of the final product.
The role of salt is highly significant to guarantee the
quality and stability of the finished products in this
category. The preservative action of salt lies in the
reduction of water activity (aw) of a system thus
renders a condition less favourable for the microbial
life14-16. To achieve aw of 0.90, which inhibits most
bacteria, a salt solution of approx 15.5% is required17.
In general, food borne pathogenic bacteria are
inhibited by a water activity of 0.92 or less that is
equivalent to NaCl concentration of 13% (w/v)18. It
was proposed to explain the preservative action of
salt, that it exerts a poisonous action; makes moisture
unavailable for the microorganisms; prevents bacterial
growth by dehydrating the cells by plasmolysis, and
destroys bacterial protoplasm19. Salt content of dry
salted mackerel and pink perch stored at ambient
temperature were reported as 17.5% and >21.0%,
respectively20. Salt content of salt fermented anchovy
was found 19.40%21. Salt content of lona ilish was
found to be less than most of the other fermented fish
products which is significant from the view point that
high dietary salt pose a severe health risk. The pH and
total titratable acidity (TTA) of lona ilish were found
as 5.66% and 0.98%. The reason of low pH value of
the product may be attributed to the fact that samples
were undergoing fermentation and not spoilage. In the
same analogy, the high value of TTA seemed to be
due to production of different organic acids. This
implies that the fish underwent sufficient fermentation
with endogenous and/or exogenous (microbial)
enzyme systems.
A series of complex biochemical processes
including proteolysis, lipolysis and lipid oxidation
take place during fermentation (also known as
ripening stage). The ripening stage renders a product
with a firm consistency having characteristic pleasant
aroma and taste. The physical and chemical changes
that occur during ripening determine the overall
sensory qualities of this salt fermented fish product22.
These changes are induced by enzymes, which break
down both proteins and fats. Despite leaching out in
brine during transfer of moisture and salt, the contents
of non-protein nitrogen, free -amino nitrogen and
total volatile basic nitrogen of lona ilish were found
as 540 mg, 163 mg and 48 mg, respectively.
Accumulation of such low molecular weight

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INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 9, NO. 3, JULY 2010

nitrogenous components might have resulted due to

degradation of tissue protein and to some extent that
may possibly be responsible for the generation of
typical flavour and aroma of the final product,
lona ilish. The role attributed to tissue enzymes versus
microbial enzymes is controversial. Tissue enzymes
rather than microbial enzymes are responsible for
ripening of salted anchovy23. Microorganisms play an
important part on the later stage of fermentation and
protein degradation by these microorganisms leading
to the production of volatile compounds from amino
acids and small peptides as raw materials24. Bacterial
proteases play a significant role in the fermentation
and flavour and aroma producing processes25. The
aroma in fermented fish product has been claimed to
be derived from the activity of various types of
halophilic bacteria26. The total lipid content and their
degraded products such as peroxides (indicated by
peroxide value) and free fatty acids of lona ilish were
found as 9.41%, 40% and 18.33%, respectively.
Since, lona ilish is prepared from hilsa fish which
comes under the high fatty fish group; it is not
unlikely to find high fat content in lona ilish. The
observed high PV is due to oxidation of unsaturated
fatty acids of lipid. Sodium chloride acts as a prooxidant27, 28. A similar PV (41.3 meq O2/Kg fat) and
higher FFA (31.84%) have been reported in salted
anchovy after 9 weeks of fermentation21. The PV and
FFA contents increased significantly throughout the
period of storage of mackerel and pink perch at
ambient temperature and reached 60 mmole O2 per kg
and 21.1% (as oleic acid), respectively after 35 days
of storage20. Salt does not inhibit lipases responsible
for liberation of free fatty acids29,30. An assessment of
changes in FFA could provide an objective method
for measuring the maturation of salted fish30.
However, this increased PV did not impart any rancid
taint to the product.
The total viable count (log cfu) of lona ilish was
found to be 2.3 0.05, comprised of Micrococcus
(1.38 0.03) and Bacillus (0.92 0.06) species. Both
Micrococcus and Bacillus constituted 60% and 40%
of the total bacterial flora, respectively. It was opined
that microbiological and other processes play an
important role in the preparation of many fermented
fish products26. Halophilic Bacillus sp were reported
from Thai fish sauce was found responsible for the
production of volatile acids31. The complex
interaction of enzymatic activity and oxidation during
the fermentation along with bacterial production of

volatile fatty acids may be responsible for

characteristic flavour and aroma of fermented fish
products32. Microorganisms such as Bacillus and
Staphylococcus which were isolated from nam-pla,
bakasang and patis produced a significant amount of
volatile acids33. Bacillus sp in the early stages of patis
fermentation was reported34,35. Occurrence of
Micrococcus sp in one month old patis indicated the
possible
involvement
of
non-spore-forming
microorganisms in the early stages of some fish sauce
fermentation. During ripening of salted anchovy, the
microflora was found to be dominated by halophilic
and halotolerant bacteria like Micrococcaceae, lactic
acid bacteria and some moulds and yeasts29.
Conclusion
The principle of preservation behind this salt
fermentation technique has been presumed as
lowering of water activity and effect of salt on
spoilage bacteria. The process however, basically
divided into two stages. The first includes diffusion of
salt into the fish and elimination of water through the
process of osmosis. The second slower stage of
ripening which involves a series of complex
biochemical processes including proteolysis, lipolysis
and lipid oxidation. The ripening stage renders a
product with a firm consistency and the characteristic
pleasant aroma and taste. The physical and chemical
changes that occur during ripening determine the
overall sensory qualities of this salt fermented fish
product. The lona ilish is different from other
fermented fish products. Some distinctive features of
lona ilish are: it does not come under the category of
fish paste or fish sauce; exclusively hilsa, Tenualosa
ilisha (Ham-Buch, 1822), a very high fatty fish is
used for its preparation; whole fish is cut in to chunks
and remains intact after maturation whereas, in the
case of other salt fermented fish products whole fish
is either crushed or dressed as whole and most of
them do not retain original form after maturation; dry
salting is followed by brining whereas either dry
salting or simply brining is done in case of most of the
similar type of products; once taken out from the
brine and exposed to air, deterioration is very fast but
this is not happened in case of most of the products.
This is due to high fat content of the lona ilish that
undergo autoxidation by atmospheric oxygen and the
rate which is further accelerated due to presence of
prooxidant, i.e. NaCl; unlike some of the fermented
fish products, lona ilish must be cooked before

MAJUMDAR & BASU: TRADITIONAL FERMENTED FISH PRODUCT OF NORTHEAST INDIA

consumption; it is mainly consumed as main dish

rather than condiment; and the typical flavour is
mainly due to fat degraded products.
Traditionally, the fishermen themselves process the
fish for lona ilish. Hygienic conditions are far from
satisfactory in the manufacturing units. Firstly, the
fish are selected irrespective of freshness and size.
Sometimes, fish are not even washed before being
cut. Secondly, the crude salt used is of cheap and
unknown quality. The fish to salt ratio is also on a
thumb rule basis only. Thirdly, dry salted fish chunks
are often not covered properly, which sometimes
results in infestation of flies in the fish. Insufficient
salting often causes dilution of brine during ripening
stage. Fourthly, due to over packing, the container
sometimes bursts, the brine drains out and the top
layers remain exposed and get spoiled. New and
sound tin containers are seldom used. Lastly, the
produce is often sold prior to proper maturation.
Different types of adulterations have creped into the
product. Quality of the product largely depends on the
freshness of the raw fish, removal of water during dry
salting, period of maturation, concentration of brine,
etc. Since, there is no standard method of its
preparation, different grades of lona ilish are available
in the market. Some of them are of very poor quality
especially due to improper salting, use of poor quality
fish and lack of proper ripening period, etc.
Acknowledgement
Author gratefully acknowledges the cooperation
received from the Division of Harvest and Post
Harvest Technology, Central Institute of Fisheries
Education, Mumbai.
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